When The Bough Breaks A Sasuke Story
by WeepingShadow
Summary: Nearly three years have passed and Sasuke has become an emotionless killer. Or has he? This story is written from Sasuke's point of view and it scratches beneath his cold surface to try to uncover his true feelings and thoughts. 3 chapters total.
1. Chapter 1

"When the Bough Breaks; A Sasuke Story-Chapter 1"

A tremor ran through my body and passed through my lips as an unheard sigh. My onyx eyes could not seem to rip themselves from the ridiculously beautiful face below, no matter how much I willed them to move. She knew I was looking at her, too, and I reveled in the feeling her gaze brought me. It had been so long since I had felt anything, everything, even _nothing,_ that the strength of this emotion nearly overwhelmed me. She wore a smile on her face but her eyes were empty, uncomprehending yet somehow holding more wisdom than I could begin to imagine.

I sat in my hiding place, if I could still call it that, contemplating whether or not I should go down to get a closer look. My keen eyes scanned the boulder on which she perched, conveniently placed in the middle of a placid stream. Beside it was an assortment of smaller rocks, their tips peeking just enough above the water's surface for me to walk on without getting wet. I crouched, ready to spring in an instant and fully aware of the katana strapped to my back, just in case.

As I prepared to jump, I paused, rethinking my decision. The girl staring up at me, with her feet tickling the water, wasn't any ordinary person. I wondered vaguely why the thought hadn't occurred to me before that she was so obviously different. Her pale hair was the color of spun gold and her azure eyes put the sky to shame with their brilliance. From my position on a high up branch, almost directly above the boulder, her ivory skin appeared silky, flawless. As pure as her features were, that wasn't the difference I should have first observed.

This girl did not have ears like mine, and I could easily make out the bushy tail swishing contentedly behind her. Sitting atop her head were two large, furry ears, which twitched at every little rustle of the forest or splash of a fish in the stream. Why, I wondered, was my attention not drawn to these features sooner? Was I so caught in that face of unparalleled beauty that my eyes passed over the fact that she was anything but human? The thought unsettled me and I inhaled sharply to clear my mind.

I reminded myself that my one ambition in life was to kill my brother and avenge my clan, and that comfort broke me from a momentary trance. I turned, having made up my mind to leave, when a loud crack resounded through the trees and I felt myself falling. I twisted in midair, landing lightly on my feet with my face only inches from the strange girl's. My breath caught and a strange sense of panic choked my senses, making me aware of nothing but how close I was to this...creature.

I tensed visibly as she moved, and relaxed only slightly when I realized she was just scrambling backwards, startled by my sudden appearance. She stood abruptly and lithely bounded to the shore, leaving me dazed and slightly hunched over on the boulder. I raised my eyes slightly, studying her expression rather blatantly. Instead of appearing disgusted or wary, that curious smile lit her lips naturally, without a thought. What gives her the right to smile so easily, I wondered, once again caught in indecision. She beckoned me over with a wave of one elegant, slender hand, and I found it was an invitation I could not refuse.

I was by her side in a flash, forcing my face to remain expressionless, rather than quirking an eyebrow and voicing my curiosity.

"Hello," she said with a voice smoother than honey and lighter than air. I marveled inwardly at the melody ringing in that single word, and leaned toward the source involuntarily. She blinked at my silence and her eyes widened in anticipation. I didn't have time to think of a response before I answered her greeting.

"Hi." My voice had no sweet ring, only a flat, empty tone that refused to betray my true emotions to a complete stranger. I noted how her strange ears twitched and she frowned for a split second before grinning more enthusiastically than before.

"I was wondering if you would come down," she said, her eyes glittering in the light filtering through the trees. "You were in that tree for quite some time, sitting so still that I almost felt I should come see if you were still living. It was quite frightening, really."

I blinked stupidly, not sure how to respond to her blunt statement. "I was thinking," I said absently, trying to push her comment aside.

"Ah, I see. That's quite understandable, ne? I often get lost in thought on bright days like these and become completely unaware of the world around me. Oh!" the girl clapped her hands together once like an excited child. "I haven't yet introduced myself! You must think me exceptionally rude by now!"

I might have choked back a laugh at that, if only I was the same person I had been nearly three years ago. A brief image of my former teammates flashed in my mind's eye before I pushed it away with a disgusted grimace. It was best not to dwell on _those_ days. "Not really," was my flat response.

"Oh. Well I suppose that's a good thing, ne? Allow me to introduce myself properly," she said, bowing. "I am Ryuujin Saiyame, and it's a pleasure to meet you."

Once again I responded smoothly, not thinking about the possible consequences for my behavior. "Uchiha Sasuke."

"Uchiha-sama." Saiyame nodded her head in my general direction, and I noticed how her eyes failed to make direct contact with mine. I studied those empty orbs briefly before the reason dawned on me.

"You--" I stopped and silently cursed myself for hesitating. "You are blind?" Saiyame waved off the comment and nodded stiffly. I cringed at the displeasure that flickered across her face before mentally berating myself again. What the hell was wrong with me?

"More or less, anyway. The eyes are only one of five senses, after all." I opened my mouth to speak when a far off shout interrupted me. I rolled my eyes and flitted away, not giving Saiyame a second glance, though her image continued to cloud my mind.

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I stood behind Orochimaru's little throne and listened as one of his minions informed him that a group of shinobi were headed toward the hideout. If they weren't intercepted and dealt with soon, there would be a need to change location. A grin snaked its way across the Sannin's face, completing his overall serpentine appearance nicely. That grin, which had once made my breath catch in fear, now did nothing but alert me to the fact that my master was scheming.

"This is a most unexpected pleasure," he hissed, turning slightly to face me. "Sasuke-kun, I would like for you to...deter our pursuers, by any means necessary." I stiffened for only a moment before nodding and disappearing from his side.

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From my place on the rocky cliff I gazed impassively at the Konoha pursuers. Two of them I recognized immediately as my former teammates. Sakura's pink hair and Naruto's ridiculous orange jumpsuit were all too easy to spot. Their companions, I noted, were an unfamiliar Jounin and a boy about my age. So, I thought, they've replaced me.

"Sasuke!" Naruto blurted, causing me roll my eyes. After two and a half years he was still as loud and obnoxious as ever. Sakura gazed longingly at me with a lingering sadness that I found hard to shrug off. After all, she had been the only one to stand in my way the night I left - the only one who knew me well enough to know what I was planning. She had even gone so far as to offer to come with me, which would mean leaving behind her family and betraying the entire village. I had to admire her for being so bold.

"Naruto," I said. I owed him enough to at least acknowledge his presence. The blonde ninja had been my greatest rival and my best friend, and he fought the hardest physically to bring me home to Konoha. His determination had pushed me further beyond my limits than I had ever ventured. And he could have won, I thought, remembering my so-called victory. I remembered standing over his unconscious body and just staring, unable to make the final blow. I was so weak back then.

Naruto shouted something else that I missed, lost in my reverie. Next came the inevitable introductions of the newcomers, who were named Yamato and Sai. It seemed Yamato was filling in for Kakashi as team leader while he was indisposed, and Sai was my replacement until I decided to come home like a good little shinobi. "They can keep him," I muttered.

I relaxed my posture as Naruto flew into a lengthy rant about how stupid I was for leaving and how superior he was to me. Back when I was still a genin of Konoha exchanging witty banter had been a favorite pastime of Naruto's and mine, but now I just found it annoying. Finally, amidst the insults and empty death threats came a question that caught me off guard and almost caused me to lose my composure.

"Sasuke," Naruto asked, "why? Why didn't you kill me back then? Is that what you call severing bonds?"

I almost allowed myself the pleasure of a scornful sneer, but my cold demeanor was not so easily abandoned. "The reason is simple, and it isn't that I wasn't able to sever my bonds with you...I simply didn't want to give **him** the pleasure of seeing me attain power by submitting to his plans. Still, the one thing I can say to you is that I chose to spare your life at nothing more than a whim of mine. If you have the time to chase me around you would have been better off training, don't you think, Naruto?"

My mocking aloofness hit Naruto hard and he visibly flinched. With no more than a flutter of the wind I was beside him, one arm draped casually over the front of his shoulder and the other slowly tugging at the hilt of my katana. "You will lose your life today, all on a whim of mine."

I fully unsheathed my katana and swung my blade at Naruto, only to be blocked by Sai. I caught the sound of a rustling underground and quickly jumped back, narrowly dodging a cluster of vines that had been slithering stealthily toward me. Naruto shook off his confusion and charged me, while the Jounin recalled his plants and Sakura hesitated in the background, not wanting to fight against a former teammate. Sai had backed away and was studying my moves intently from a corner of the rocky valley so as not to get caught in the crossfire. Smart. The kunoichi would be the easiest target to take out, so I darted past Naruto's onslaught and set course for Sakura.

I swung my katana straight down only to cut air as Sakura jumped back with more speed and grace than I would have thought possible from her. However, I hoped she didn't expect one good dodge to deter me from targeting her. I swung again, and again she dodged, this time thrusting her fist into the ground and smashing through solid rock, creating a storm of rubble. From behind, Naruto prepared his rasengan to attack, and Yamato's vines were speeding towards me again. I smirked humorlessly, and with a few rapid hand signs lightning burst from my whole body, knocking back all of their attacks effortlessly.

I turned now on Naruto, preparing an attack for the Kyuubi's vessel, when a soft whisper reached my ears. I turned to the source and there was Saiyame, staring down at me disapprovingly and shaking her head for me to stop. Why should I listen to someone I know next to nothing about, I wondered, pausing all the same. Naruto took that chance to attack and by the time I regained my senses it was too late to block. I held up my katana as if it could protect me from that menacing energy and almost flinched when his attack grazed harmlessly off of a barrier of crackling light that wasn't coming from me. Before Naruto could pull himself together enough to rebound, I was gone.

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"What the hell do you think you were doing?!" I hissed, my brows knitted in fury. Today has been the worst day of my life with Orochimaru, all because this demon had to come and stir up emotions that had long lain dormant. Even now my heart ached as I observed her features, which were even more blank and emotionless than anything I had ever managed to look. The amusement was gone and so was that dancing smile she had shown me only hours earlier.

"Relax," Saiyame commanded firmly. "I didn't want you to make a mistake you would regret for the rest of your life." My temper flared at her words and I glared darkly at her, wishing she could see it.

"You didn't want me to make a mistake? You don't even know me! You don't know who I am, or what I've been through and you certainly dont know what is or isn't a mistake!" I was nearly shouting now, but I didn't care. My fingers gripped my katana so tightly my knuckles turned white and, it took all of my willpower not to strike her where she stood.

"It may be true that I do not know you, but if you really wanted to kill your friends then you would not have allowed me to stop you with one little word. Perhaps we should take a walk and get to know each other better," Saiyame suggested, lightening her tone and turning her back on me. I fought inwardly, not bothering to mask each emotion that crossed my face. After all, she couldn't see them.

"No," I breathed shakily, eyeing my katana and then Saiyame. "I cannot allow myself to form new bonds, especially not with someone like you, who has such a profound effect on me." I darted forward, targeting Saiyame with reluctant determination and narrowing my eyes as I waited for impact. The impact didn't come.

"I know you didn't really want to do that either," Saiyame said, staring straight through me with a glare that would make Orochimaru recoil. I was dumbfounded, suspended in midair with my katana only centimeters from the tip of Saiyame's nose.

"H-how?" I stuttered the question, cursing myself for being so surprised.

"Just because I am blind does not mean I am weak. Telekinesis is quite a useful ability to have, especially when people try to attack me from behind." Saiyame raised her hand and my body followed, slamming into a tree as she flung her arm forward. The impact knocked the wind out of me and I slumped forward onto the ground, clutching my ribs and gasping for breath.

"Now would you like to take a walk?" she asked, offering her hand for me to take.

I took Saiyame's hand immediately, allowing her to pull me up. I admit, I hated how she made me feel so weak, so submissive, like a small, helpless child. I hated her but I was also intrigued by her. I wondered briefly if she knew any techniques that could help me defeat my brother, and why her aura drew me toward her against my will.


	2. Chapter 2

"So," Saiyame began, "tell me about yourself, anything you like."

I sighed heavily, rubbing my temples and wondering where to begin. When I opened my mouth the words flowed like water and I found myself telling Saiyame everything about myself. I began with the story of how my brother, Itachi, slaughtered the entire Uchiha clan, leaving only me alive because I was too weak, too pathetic to kill. I told her about my time in the Shinobi academy, and about my relationship with my team. When I relayed the story of how I had abandoned my village and betrayed my friends, I was relieved to see that Saiyame was still calm, rather than sickened.

"I've been training with Orochimaru for about two and a half years now, praying that one day I would wake up with the power to destroy Itachi."

"But you said that this 'Orochimaru' only wants you to become strong so he can use your body as a container for his soul and thus achieve immortality. Does it not bother you that you are only a tool to him, whose life could be in danger if he found someone with more potential than yourself?"

"If giving my body to him is the only way I can defeat my brother, then I will gladly hand it over. I will have no regrets for my decisions." Saiyame's ears fell back and her tail hung low as she absorbed my response, and I was afraid my words had upset her.

"You know, you don't have to face your brother alone. Your friends are still fighting for you, even after your betrayal, and I'm sure they would understand your motive for leaving. If you ally yourself with people you can truly trust, your probability of success is great. I know you're worried about the safety of your friends too, but I also know that you must understand that your family was not prepared for your brother's attack."

I frowned, pondering her words in annoyance. If anyone else had spoken to me in such a way I would have brushed it off without a second thought or insulted them. "I don't want to talk about this," I stated plainly, searching for a different subject to explore.

"That's fine, and it's still my turn to ask questions." Saiyame smiled and I opened and closed my mouth a few times. "You can ask me how I did that when it's your turn. Now, it's time for twenty questions, or something of the sort."

I found myself smiling just the tiniest bit as I answered every new question Saiyame asked. My age, hair, and eye color, hobbies, likes and dislikes, all were relayed to Saiyame. I reluctantly told her that I was about two inches shorter than she was, even with my hair, and she laughed sweetly at the displeasure lacing my words.  
"Have you ever been in love?" Saiyame breathed airily, leaping lightly over a fallen log. I refrained from asking how she knew it was there and ran my fingers through my thick hair, stalling.

"I don't know," I answered truthfully. "I might have been once, but I don't know." I laughed dryly before continuing. "She was the only girl who didn't completely annoy the hell out of me, at least not once I got to know her. I almost felt like she was beginning to understand me, but I left before…before anything could happen." I clawed at the flower in my mind, trying to rid myself of her image in vain.

Saiyame nodded as if she knew exactly what I was thinking, or feeling. "I see. Your turn."

The abruptness of the declaration surprised me, but I silently cheered, more than ready to ask all of the questions that had invaded my conscience. "How old are you?" I asked, remembering her first question.

"Oh! Well that's something I haven't thought about in centuries." I choked at her answer and hoped she was joking, even though her expression was far from mischievous. "I'm somewhere around wait, that's not right. I know only that I am older than five-hundred, probably by a lot. When I was born Sunagakure had the most magnificent architecture. I remember vast pyramids strewn about the desert village, and the rulers dressed in gold."

I decided not to push the subject, feeling uncomfortable with the age difference. "You only look a couple of years older than me," I mumbled, knowing she heard. "Were you born blind?"

"No, I was probably in my early two-hundreds when I went blind. A priestess cursed me, but she never told me why." Saiyame's contemplative expression made me wonder if she was telling the entire truth, but I moved on anyway.

"Okay, why aren't you running into trees and tripping over logs? I knew the question was a bit too straightforward, but I didn't know how else to word it.

"Well, I can 'see' the life energy of living things. People, animals, and even plants are visible to me, though I am unable to make out distinct features or shapes. Aside from that little ability, these ears aren't just for decoration and my sense of smell surpasses that of a nin-dog's.

I nodded, forgetting that she couldn't see it, and continued the blitz of questions. I learned that Saiyame had psychic abilities, and that her telepathy was so advances that she often picked up stray thoughts without meaning to. Her favorite weapon was a long black, metal whip, which she used to enhance her lightning-based attacks when fighting was inevitable. My raikiri was nothing compared to her power. Finally, I asked the same question Saiyame had asked me. "Have you ever been in love?"

"I suppose I don't know the answer to that either," she said, jumping onto a low overhanging branch. "There was one person I knew, but I haven't seen him in a long time. We had an interesting relationship and connected well, but I don't know if it was love. He was very cold, and his aura was that of a bitter winter, yet he somehow managed to warm my soul with his presence."

I stiffened at Saiyame's answer, strangely disappointed. I clutched my head and grimaced, baring my teeth in frustration. The real question I wanted to ask Saiyame was "Why? Why am I so drawn to you? How can I be so absorbed with someone I've only known for a few hours? I wished I was back in my room so I could express my rage by breaking something of great value, but since that wasn't the case I focused on breathing deep, relaxing breaths.

"Saiyame," I said testing her name on my lips for the first time, "I have to leave now." I needed to get away from her sweet, suffocating aura or else I felt that I might fall under some irreversible spell and lose sight of my ultimate goal.

"Okay." Saiyame nodded nonchalantly as if she had been expecting this, and I didn't doubt that she was just waiting for me to say the words. "I'll see you later." She bowed her head and I uttered a hushed "goodbye" before leaving her alone in the woods.

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"What a charming young lady," Orochimaru commented when I entered his study. "I wasn't aware there were still true youkai lurking in our midst."  
My blood ran cold at my master's words, though my face remained impassive. Orochimaru's gaze bore holes straight through me and I struggled not to shift uncomfortably under the intensity of it. He was waiting for a response but I didn't know what to say, nor did I feel the need to explain my actions.

"You're so cold this evening, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru said, rising from his battered wooden chair. I kept one hand on the rusty knob of his study door, wondering if he would allow me to leave. "I must admit, I was rather surprised at your little outburst earlier, after that spectacular show with the leaf-nin. You've never been one to scream in fury and throw a fit, so what it is about that girl, hmm?" I remained silent, my mouth clamped firmly shut to prevent me from spewing a long line of foul insults.

"Ah, I see." Orochimaru snickered, amused, and turned his gleaming eyes to a cracked mirror hanging on an otherwise empty wall. He slid one pale finger across the length of his ashy cheek, smiling wickedly at his reflection. "Just be sure that little beauty doesn't decide to bare her fangs at you. Oh, and try not to let her manipulate you too much; I don't want my precious vessel to become poisoned with compassion."

A shiver chilled my spine at the subtle threat laced with Orochimaru's "concern" for my well being. "I wouldn't dream of it," I replied monotonously, wrenching open the door and heading to my room to think.

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"I didn't expect to see you again so soon," Saiyame said, patting an empty space on the same boulder she sat upon when I met her yesterday.

"Neither did I," I said, taking up Saiyame's offer and sitting next to her. My heart skipped a beat as a cloud dispersed, allowing the sun to seep through the trees and bask the demon in its radiance. "What is one thing you don't really like to do?" I questioned randomly, laying back on the rock and squinting into the sun.

"Swimming, definitely." My gaze flickered to Saiyame momentarily and then back to the sun. "To me all forms of water and the sky look like huge patches of white." I smirked as her eyes widened and she spread her arms above her head to emphasize just how big these "patches" were. "Besides, if something was to happen then I couldn't just climb up onto the water's surface like you or any other shinobi can do. I don't use chakra."

I nodded, remembering Saiyame's explanation of her power. Instead of combining her physical and spiritual energy to attack, Saiyame used raw spirit energy, which made her techniques much more potent.

"I understand," I replied hazily, closing my eyes and enjoying the heat raining down upon me. I felt so at peace next to her, like I could fall into an endless slumber, but I forced myself to remain alert. Orochimaru's warning lingered in my thoughts, just on the edge of my conscious musings. A sweet tune drifted to my ears and my eyes became heavier and heavier. The thought left me as I yawned and stretch, feeling that a short nap might...be ok...

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I awoke to the sound of wind slicing toward me and caught a kunai just shy of piercing my heart. I leapt up and locked on to my target, chucking the weapon at a nearby bush. The blade flashed in the moonlight before a second kunai met it in midair, deflecting my attack and causing both blades to crash harmlessly to the ground. I relaxed my posture and waited for Kabuto to show himself, while also searching for any sign of Saiyame in the boughs of the trees.

"Hello Sasuke-kun, I'm glad to know you were alert enough to stop my assault. It certainly appeared as though you were dozing off in the open forest, and that wouldn't have been wise for someone with as many enemies as you, don't you agree? You could have been injured."

I rolled my eyes, annoyed by Kabuto's ruse. Ever since Orochimaru had taken me in Kabuto had been jealous of me, and his tolerance for my behavior was wearing thin. He was about six years older than me and an incredibly skilled shinobi, yet my abilities had grown and surpassed his in the two years since I began my training with the Snake Sannin.

"What do you want, Kabuto?" I asked coldly, my black eyes dull and my posture unconcered. He wasn't a threat to me and we both knew it.

"Just making sure you didn't disappear off the face of the earth," Kabuto replied with a coy smile. Perspiration beaded along his neck and his silver hair clung to his face. "Orochimaru-sama was worried when you didn't return to the hideout at your usual time."

"I'm fine, now leave," I demanded, waving him off.

Kabuto bowed stiffly, smiling politely. "As you wish, Sasuke-_sama_."

I sighed when he was gone and plopped back down on the boulder. "I can't believe I slept the day away," I mumbled to myself, looking up at the starry sky. Usually I had trouble sleeping due to the nightmares which plagued my mind and had me waking every few hours in a cold sweat. What little sleep I did get was restless and, and it left me wondering if I would have been better off getting no sleep at all.

"Me either, you must have been exhausted." I jumped up and nearly lost my balance, but Saiyame pulled me back down. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," she said, reclaiming her seat.

"It's fine," I said, dusting myself off.

"Who was that man?" Saiyame asked, glaring into the trees where Kabuto disappeared.

"Just another one of Orochimaru's henchmen. He knows that he's expendable and the thought doesn't sit well with him."

"Hmm, his aura constantly flickers, like a snake about to strike its prey."

I snorted. "It suits him. Kabuto wasnt chosen to serve Orochimaru because of his impeccable loyalty, he was chosen because he was useful. Now that his usefulness is gone, so is his false loyalty to his master."

"Well that's very rude of him," Saiyame scoffed, flicking her tail in annoyance. "I have to leave for awhile, by the way. I'll be back in a few days, a week tops. You will be okay without me, right?" Saiyame quirked an eyebrow and it was my turn to scoff.

"I've only known you for a grand total of two days," I said, feeling a pang at the thought of her leaving despite my words. "Of course I'll be fine." Saiyame nodded, flashed me a smile, and sprinted away so fast that even my sharingan couldn't follow.

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I stood at the edge of a bleak battlefield, accompanied only by Orochimaru and probably about one hundred unconscious and wounded shinobi. My gaze was bored and my body unscathed, which was quite a feat considering I had taken them all on single-handedly.

"You're too soft, Sasuke-kun. You didn't kill any of them." Orochimaru spoke in a condescending tone, as though he was disappointed in me.

"They aren't the ones I want to kill," I responded smoothly, sheathing my katana. I knew what Orochimaru was thinking; that was obvious. I could see the gleam in his eyes; I knew how impressed he was. At the same time I knew that he thought me soft, unable to kill those who I had no quarrel with. Perhaps he was right, though, I thought, studying my handiwork. Would I have slaughtered this many innocent people if I hadn't met Saiyame just a few days ago?

"You truly are an Uchiha," said Orochimaru, looking over my handiwork a second time. I nodded absentmindedly and began my trek back to the underground hideout. Yes, I thought, I am an Uchiha. And I have nothing more to learn from you.

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Back in my room I reviewed every aspect of my plan, searching for flaws and preparing myself mentally for the attack. If I was going to leave Orochimaru then I would have to kill him first, and now would be the perfect time. His body was deteriorating and I could see that each day he became weaker and weaker. Kabuto wouldn't be a hassle, and Orochimaru's other followers wouldn't be able to respond to his death very quickly, since very few of them knew where the hideout was. I wanted to wait until Saiyame returned, but I didn't know exactly when that would be, or if Orochimaru would become suspicious anytime soon.

"Tomorrow," I whispered, "your end will come."

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I jumped through my window and headed off into the dark forest for some last minute training. I didn't want to strain myself too much and be weak enough for Orochimaru to overpower me tomorrow, but I didn't want to be unprepared either. Even in his weakened state, Orochimaru was a Sannin, one of the three strongest shinobi to come from Konoha. I couldn't risk messing up and being defeated; I had to escape immediately after I fought my master.

"I have nothing more to learn from you," I said to Orochimaru, pushing my chakra further into my masters arm.

"I figured this would happen," the Sannin snarled, shooting me an acidic glare.

"You're weak, Orochimaru. You thought you could have my eyes because you couldn't obtain my brother's, but you didn't expect me to progress so quickly with my training. I suppose I should thank you for that, at least."

"Tch, you were quite a pathetic sight to behold, it's the least I could do for you. You were weak and you sought my guidance. You sought me for power, yet you turn on me now? Is that any proper way to thank me?"

"I was weak and I did seek you, but now I have nothing to gain by giving you my body. You've tried for so long to get your hands on my clan's power, and you even created a new technique to make you "immortal" by transferring your soul to other peoples bodies. You're disgusting. You can't even begin to imagine what kind of power these eyes hold."

Orochimaru chuckled darkly, spraying blood upon the sheets covering his deceptively fragile form. "If there's one thing I can assure you of, Sasuke-kun, it is your clan's power."

I cringed inwardly at the Sannin's lustful gaze at my eyes, but my resolve prevented me from flinching. Instead I sneered, taking a bold step forward. "You're not fooling me, Orochimaru-sama. I can see the wretched beast that you truly are. Once you may have been a powerful shinobi to be feared and respected, but now you're a joke, a shadow of your former self."

I pulled my katana from its sheath and advanced on the Sannin casually. "I won't show you the same mercy that I showed those men on the battlefield yesterday. I'm afraid my reserves for compassion are all spent."

"You insolent little!"

"I leapt back as Orochimaru's shape changed and his body morphed into the horrid creature he had become.

A large white snake was sprawled out before me, lashing its body in all directions. I left the room just as Orochimaru smashed the support column in his room and the earthen ceiling came crashing down. As I entered the underground training arena the snake struck, almost swallowing me whole. I gritted my teeth, dodging at the last second and forcing my breath to come evenly, rather than in ragged bursts that might rock my body and make me lose focus.

"Will you continue to run from me, Uchiha Sasuke? Or will you stand and fight?"

I stopped, turning to face my now former sensei. Orochimaru's long black hair sprouted from the snake's head and his yellow eyes were full of bitter hatred and a lust for power. His long tongue tested the air and I was certain he could taste no fear from me.

I smirked, letting the power from my cursed seal envelop me and transform me into something more powerful. My black hair grew quickly into a smoky mane and my skin took on an ashy pallor. My face was cleared of all blemishes and my nails turned to claws in a matter of seconds. Finally two large wings, shaped like webbed hands, burst from my back and I took flight just as Orochimaru's jaws crashed through the stone floor.

"Now why would I run from you?" I mocked. "An Uchiha's power is not to be belittled." Orochimaru hissed and I whipped out my katana, slicing into the soft flesh of his underbelly. Blood spurted from the wound but I had no time to admire my handiwork, dodging right as Orochimaru's tail lashed out at me.

----------------------------------

"Is it over already?" I asked, wiping the crimson liquid from my blade. The snake sannin's tongue lolled from his mouth and his body had been sliced many times with my katana and my raikiri. The room was rather messy, with blood painting the walls and the stone flooring overturned where Orochimaru had crashed into it. I turned from the sight, disgusted, when I sensed movement behind me.

"I will not lose to the likes of you, Sasssuke-kun," Orochimaru hissed. I made the mistake of turning around and that's all it took, he had me in his grasp, squeezing all of the air out of my lungs. I gasped for breath as he lowered his gaze to stare me straight in the eyes. Not even my sharingan could help me now. "I am immortal, invincible, and you will not make a fool of me!"

An intense pain exploded in my head and I felt Orochimaru enter my consciousness. I struggled against the force of his probing, trying desperately to block out the Sannin's insane laughter. I could feel my thoughts clouding, succumbing to the gentle hiss of my former master. I pushed the pressure aside, momentarily at least, before it came crashing back down upon me. The more I struggled, the less effect there was. I was trapped and my mind was becoming Orochimaru's, and there was nothing I could do about it.

_That's right Sasuke-kun; your body is mine now.  
_  
Another explosion racked my mind, though this one felt somehow pleasant. The pressure lifted almost instantly and I was flung halfway across the room. It took me a moment to regain my senses and I stumbled to my feet clumsily, grasping at the object nearest me. Only this object moved, and it wasn't scaly either...

"Uchiha-sama, are you ok?" I shook my head to clear it and groaned when I noticed that my support was Saiyame's arm. Great, just great.  
"I'm fine," I mumbled.

"Good." Saiyame pursed her pale lips and glared at Orochimaru's battered form. Blood flowed from a number of wounds inflicted by myself, and others that I didn't recognize. I felt tense, standing here beside Saiyame now. She exuded an aura of power that I hadn't sensed before, and it was incredibly unnerving. I wanted to know what the demoness was thinking, but I didn't dare ask, seeing the fierce look upon her face.

This is going to be bloody, is all I could think, all I could understand. I was about to personally experience why demons were so feared, and I was silently thankful that her rage wasn't directed toward me.

With a burst of unnatural power the wind slammed into Orochimaru and pushed him through the stone wall into the next room. It took me a minute to comprehend that the "wind" had to be something else, because we were underground and the air was somewhat stale. I mulled over my earlier conversation with Saiyame, when she explained her powers, and the answer clicked. _My telekinesis is just as powerful as my telepathy. If I wished to rip an opponent apart with nothing but my mind, it would be a simple task._ Was I about to witness such a thing?

That question was answered all too soon as well. An agonized scream brought me back to the present and the sight was truly gruesome. Blood flowed down Orochimaru's body in rivers where chunks of flesh had been ripped from the snake's side and belly. Even as I watched, his eyes turned to mush and slivers of skin and scales lifted from his body and turned to dust. I brought my hand to my mouth, holding back bile that threatened to emerge.

"You bitch!" Orochimaru screamed, rage and anguish filling his failing voice. His throat was disappearing now, and with it his ability to speak. The process quickened, and within seconds all that was left of Orochimaru was his head, sliced and still twitching, not yet realizing it was dead.

"Let's go, Sasuke." Saiyame said, turning from the slaughter that she had caused, but could not see. I nodded, then mumbled a shaky 'ok' and quickly followed her through the hideout. I didn't remark on her casual usage of my name, or the unconscious forms of Kabuto and other sound shinobi that I passed on the way to the exit, but I was bursting with a sick curiosity that wouldn't go away.

"Saiyame?" I asked, feeling like the helpless child I was eight years ago when my family was massacred.

"I won't allow anyone to harm those who are precious to me," Saiyame said, reading my thoughts. Her voice was steely and her graceful movements now appeared predatory, after what I had witnessed. She sighed, calming down and relaxing her posture, though she didn't slow her pace. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Uchiha-sama. I consider you one of my closest friends, even if you find that hard to believe. Your quest for revenge is noble, even if your methods of attaining power to accomplish it are a bit stupid."

I huffed indignantly, reassured at the change in her demeanor. She sees me as a precious friend, I thought, wincing slightly at the unsatisfying notion. Saiyame's ear twitched and I wondered if she was aware of my distaste, but once again I failed to ask.

"If you want to destroy your brother, Uchiha-sama, I wish to aide you. I promise not to interfere unless you are in danger of dying, but that is all I can promise." The abrupt declaration caught me off guard, but the proposition was hard to refuse. I had seen the way she handled a Sannin, so easily, and I knew I would feel more comfortable and confident if she was fighting by my side. For some reason Saiyame had that effect on me...  
Then again, this was my fight. Even Orochimaru feared Itachi, and for good reason. My brother was even more merciless than my former master, and his sharingan was far more developed than mine.

"That doesn't mean anything," Saiyame said, interrupting my thoughts. That kind of power cannot be used by a ningen without consequences. The Uchiha clan's power is formidable, but not invincible. Come now Uchiha-sama, you of all people should know that."

I nodded, not bothering to snap at her for reading my mind. "Mangekyou sharingan is especially flawed. With Itachi using it as much as he has over the years, he is probably losing his eyesight." I stared at Saiyame. "Then again, there's a chance that only made him stronger."

"Not everyone can handle blindness as well as I have, Uchiha-sama. Unless your brother has extensively prepared himself for this, it is possible that you could surprise him."

I nodded grudgingly, rolling my eyes at Saiyame. "I won't stop you from following, but my brother is my problem and I intend to deal with him on my own." I jumped into the nearest tree and headed out of the valley, finally ready to hunt down my brother.

------------------------------------

They found me again, as usual. No matter what I did to cover my tracks, my old teammates seemed to follow me around wherever I went. Right now I was resting in a clearing and Saiyame was off sniffing flowers or something of the sort, while Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura watched me with mixed emotions.  
"You know, it's rude to interrupt someone while they're sleeping," I stated matter-of-factly, rising slowly to my feet to show them that I was not afraid.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispered, causing my gaze to shift to her. I fought to keep my heartbeat calm as I stared into those watery green eyes that held me where I was. Dammit, I thought, why did I have to remember her of all people? Naruto had been my best friend and worst enemy, but Sakura was the only one to ever come close to understanding me. Even my former sensei had remained clueless to my true intentions, and he had trained me rigorously for an entire month.

"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled, still as loud as ever. "This time I'm going to bring you back even if I have to rip you apart!"

I chuckled dryly and turned my black eyes on him. "Isn't that the same thing you said three years ago?" I shrugged my shoulders and turned my back on them, walking casually toward the surrounding forest. "I have more important matters to attend to, if you don't mind."

"Sasuke," Kakashi called. "Orochimaru's dead."

I paused, rubbing my temples like they were some small annoyance that wouldn't stop pestering me. "Of course he's dead, he wasn't worth my time anymore." My words were followed by a gasp from Naruto and Sakura, but Kakashi seemed unsurprised.

"So you killed him, then? I'm impressed."

"Well I wouldn't take all the credit," I said leaping into an overhanging branch. Or even most of it, I added as an afterthought. I disappeared into the foliage within seconds and relaxed when I didn't hear any signs of pursuit. Saiyame could catch up with me later, I had no doubt about that, but right now I just wanted to leave.

"Do you have to be so rude to them all the time?" Saiyame asked, falling in step beside me. I rolled me eyes, not having heard her approach, and shrugged nonchalantly.

"Orochimaru didn't brainwash me like they might think. I made the decision to leave them because they are of no concern to me."

"Sure, and I'm not really blind. You should think up a better lie."

I snorted and shot a glare at Saiyame, once again frustrated that she couldn't see it. To be completely truthful, I didn't know what to think of them. I had spent nearly three years convincing myself that I didn't care about my teammates or anyone else in Konoha, and I had finally begun to believe it after a time. Now everything I had convinced myself to be true was unraveling, and I was beginning to feel again. I cursed silently; emotions were a dangerous thing for a shinobi to have.

"It's not a lie," I stated firmly, trying to end the discussion.

"Ok, then it's a false truth. That little flower seemed especially concerned about you; maybe you should give her a chance."

"I can't afford to give anyone a chance!" I snapped, angered that Saiyame kept pushing the subject as if she had a right to.

I only met her a few days ago, yet she spoke as if we had been friends forever. I hated the logic in her arguments, the way she seemed to draw my emotions into the open, and the power she harbored that was so much greater than mine. Most of all I hated how the wind blew her hair away from her face and gave me a perfect view of that soft, flawless skin which I longed to touch, just once. And yet, someone else yearned for me in the same way that I yearned for Saiyame, but I had always pushed her away, even when we were teammates. I wondered if that would be harder to deal with than what I felt now.

"I'm sorry," Saiyame whispered, averting her eyes and flattening her ears against her head. "It was wrong of me to say such things. You should be allowed the pleasure to believe what you wish, even if you only believe it on the very surface of your being."

"It's ok." The more I was around this magnificent creature the more my resolve crumbled. I was still firmly set on destroying Itachi, but everything else seemed to hold a new importance that I didn't want to face. I didn't want to deal with the thought of having friends who could be hurt by my sometimes rash actions, but I already knew the truth. No matter how much I pushed them away, my friends would not abandon me to myself, just as they had not abandoned me to Orochimaru. They would not allow my mistakes to destroy me so easily. They would fight for me until I was dead and then they would seek revenge.

I dropped my pace and jumped down from my tree to the solid earth. Saiyame followed, keeping her pace only slightly slower than mine. We walked in comfortable silence, taking in the peaceful atmosphere and purging those unpleasant thoughts that lingered from the earlier battle. The whole ordeal had been unbelievably surreal and I wanted only to follow the path that lead to my brother's, and possibly my own, destruction.

------------------------------

"It's going to rain soon, we should find shelter." Saiyame stated absently, turning from the forest's beaten path onto a much less noticeable one. I followed without hesitation; sure that she knew where she was going. The sky was only faintly overcast, but even my ears could make out the slight rumble of thunder in the distance, moving this way.

In about fifteen minutes Saiyame and I came to a cave almost completely hidden by a mess of brambles and vines that were crawling around its entrance. I slashed through them with my katana before entering the cave, then placed a heavy illusion around the area in case someone stumbled upon our hideout. I was surprised at how spacious and dry the place was, and grateful for the pile of wood already stacked in a corner. Without much thought I started a small fire and leaned my back against the wall, ready for some well-earned rest.

Saiyame sat on the wall opposite of me and closed her eyes without speaking. I had to stop myself from staring at her expression, which was so completely peaceful that I couldn't help but wonder how she could be so calm. I shrugged and closed my eyes as well, allowing the sounds of the rain and thunder to rock me asleep. My last thought before drifting off into unconsciousness was not of Saiyame, but of a beautiful flower that had fully bloomed after I left Konoha.

---------------------------------

I started awake at the sound of a roar that was unmistakably Naruto's. In the next moment I was on my feet and well aware that Saiyame was no longer in the cave. Grabbing my katana, I exited as well and leapt into the cover of the trees. When I was sure that my chakra was completely masked I dashed forward and crept to the edge of a branch where I could see into the fairly large clearing ahead of me.

"Where is he?!" Naruto shouted, his eyes red and his expression feral. I followed his glare with my gaze and my eyes landed on Saiyame, who happened to be on the receiving end of Naruto's anger.

Behind Naruto, Sakura studied Saiyame curiously, while Kakashi focused his sharingan on the demoness. My replacement, Sai, was off to the side looking bored, and I scoffed at the sight of him.

"I haven't a clue what you are talking about, Uzumaki-san," Saiyame stated nonchalantly. Her expression was almost as bored as Sai's, and her declaration didn't sound very convincing. I snorted derisively, knowing that Saiyame could easily convince my old teammates that she didn't know me if that is what she wanted to do.

"Dammit, where is Sasuke?!" Naruto shouted, clenching his fists and baring his teeth aggressively. His shoulders shook with suppressed rage and a bead of sweat crawled slowly down his face until it dropped to the already damp soil below.


	3. Chapter 3

Saiyame's ears pressed flat against her head and I caught a glint of pity in her eyes at Naruto's obvious frustration. I changed my position on the branch, ready to lunge at Saiyame's throat if she sold me out."I truly am sorry, Naruto-san," Saiyame began, "but it is not my place to expose those who do not wish to be found." With those words and one last regretful nod to the rest of the group, Saiyame spun on her heel and began walking toward the tree where I was hidden.

"Wait!" Saiyame paused and rolled her eyes as she turned back to face Sakura's anxious glare, as if she already knew what was coming.

"Yes, Sakura-san?"

"Fight me!" Sakura yelled. "If I win then you have to tell me where Sasuke-kun is!" I sighed, fully prepared for Saiyame to politely decline and continue on her way. Naturally I was somewhat surprised when the fox demon nodded her head once and adopted a casual fighting stance.

"Very well, Sakura-san. Please do not hold back on me, because I honestly hope for you to win." Sakura returned the nod and charged Saiyame, slamming her fists into the ground and spraying dirt and rock in all directions. Like water, Saiyame floated away from the falling debris and leapt onto the point of a particularly large piece of upturned rock."Sakura-san, please don't let your emotions control your actions. That kind of fighting doesn't suit you." The kunoichi frowned and I felt a jolt at the look of misplaced rage that flickered across her fine features.

Wait, what was I thinking? First Saiyame dropped into my life and I found myself intrigued by her; telling her every little thing about me. Her beauty had captured my attention immediately and her presence made me feel warm, but I don't think I felt anything toward her besides a deep sense of understanding. My attention shifted to Sakura as I observed her reaction to Saiyame's simple evasion of her attack. Another explosion of earth nearly knocked me from my tree, but Saiyame just glided away as if the burst of power was a minor annoyance. The elegance and grace with which she moved was incredible, and I felt my heart skip a beat when she let loose an airy laugh. I placed a hand over my heart and looked questioningly at my chest. What was that I felt when she moved? Admiration? Anxiousness? Something else?No, I decided, blinking away the demon's image. It wasn't something else. I was stunned by that one revelation, and by how obvious it was.

"It's not something else," I whispered, slowing down my beating heart. And it wasn't. Other than an immense respect and admiration, I felt nothing for Saiyame whatsoever.

"Come now, Sakura-san, are you still holding back? If it helps then I will retaliate, but that is something I wouldn't suggest. Demons are often called monsters for a reason."

Sakura's face scrunched up in confusion and her stance changed to defensive. "What?" she said.

"Very well, if you won't attack then I will!" Saiyame rushed toward Sakura faster than I knew she could follow. I, however, realized that my sharingan was finally beginning to make out her movements. Though my expression remained passive, I cheered inwardly at this insight. Perhaps this demon wasn't so invincible after all. Her next attack was clear to me: Saiyame seemed to pull a whip out of thin air and she swung it at Sakura before the kunoichi could dodge. The whip, which glinted silver in the sunlight, was adorned with four large, protruding spikes at its tip, and as the weapon wrapped Sakura in its cold embrace the spikes pinned her to the ground, holding her there.

"It's over," Saiyame said, hovering above Sakura heedlessly.

"No, no, no. No it's not!" Though Sakura could not move her arms to make any hand signs, her legs were not completely bound and she slammed one into the ground, creating a powerful shockwave that knocked Saiyame off her feet.I stared intently, waiting for Saiyame's next move as Sakura unwound herself and was back up in no time. From her supply pouch Sakura pulled out an assortment of kunai and shuriken and flung them at Saiyame as she stood. Sakura's aim was true, but Saiyame wasn't a demon for nothing.

With no time to dodge, Saiyame's aura flared so that her yellow spirit energy was visible even to those without the sharingan. Using pure energy, the demoness created a weak barrier, which brought the majority of Sakura's weapons to a halt. However, a few were able to push past the barrier, and I saw a shallow cut appear on Saiyame's cheek, along with some tears on her kimono. I was almost taken aback by the redness of Saiyame's blood, having half expected it to be as different from humankind as the rest of her.

Sakura didn't wait for Saiyame to recover; she ran forward and punched through the feeble barrier with ease. Where is that incredible power, I thought, disappointed. Where is that inhuman power that so drastically separates demons from humans? Before, Saiyame had defeated Orochimaru without even having to lift a finger, but now she was obviously having trouble dodging Sakura's simple attacks.

Just as her fist was about to smash into Saiyame's face, Sakura flinched and shouted in alarm. She hesitated for no more than a second, but it was all the time Saiyame needed to send a current of electricity coursing through the kunoichi's veins. Sakura yelped in pain and fell to the ground, clutching her body as if it was on fire. My muscles tensed and I dug my nails into the bark of the tree to hold myself back. A few drops of blood leaked from my fingertips but I paid them no heed as I tried to focus only on following Saiyame's and Sakura's movements.

Saiyame's whip found its way around Sakura's neck this time, and I knew that if she moved to stand then Sakura would most likely find herself impaled by the spikes at the whip's end. "I win, Sakura-san. If you move the slightest bit then I will, unfortunately, have no choice but to snap your neck. I'm sorry that the fight had to end this way, but I cannot tell you Uchiha-san's whereabouts. With my peripheral vision I could see Naruto trembling with fury. He knew that he couldn't move to help Sakura, and I was sure that he believed Saiyame actually _would_ kill her. I half believed her myself.

Sakura stared defiantly at Saiyame for what seemed like an eternity before a loud crack of thunder split the sky, signaling the return of the storm from earlier. Saiyame didn't even try to conceal the fear that crossed her face at the sudden bang. Her grip on the whip loosened and she let it fall from Sakura's neck."Sakura-san, Naruto-san," Saiyame said, bowing low to them. "I believe that I have overstayed my welcome, therefore I must take my leave now. I wish you the best of luck on your quest to find your friend." She waved goodbye and was gone before I could blink, but I could still slightly make out a golden blur coming toward me.

-------------------------------------

"That was anticlimactic," I said to Saiyame when she zipped into the cave where we had taken shelter earlier. "You were doing so well until all of the color drained from your face and you let Sakura go. Please don't tell me you're afraid of thunder."

"Well, if you insist then I shall keep it to myself," Saiyame spat, looking only slightly embarrassed. I cocked an eyebrow and snickered scornfully.

"You use lightning based attacks, and you're afraid of thunder? Oh, the irony."

"Uchiha-san, can we switch topics? I would rather not talk about this."I dropped my smirk squinted at Saiyame for a moment. My mocking words had never bothered her before, so perhaps there was something else going on here? Oh well, I decided, trying to distance myself emotionally from the demon. It wasn't a story I should be interested in hearing, so I would just drop it. I sighed and sat down on the opposite side of Saiyame, on the other side of the cave.

"How is it that you can be so incredibly perfect?" I asked, instead of continuing with a long line of insults.Saiyame's ear twitched and she looked towards me, confused.

"Perfect? You saw my fight with Sakura-san. And on top of that I have many weaknesses that make me very vulnerable in battle."

That caught my attention. "You seemed pretty invincible to me, even when Sakura appeared to have you cornered. You were always able to get out of the situations she threw at you."

"Of course. If my weaknesses were so obvious then I probably wouldn't be able to hold my own in a fight very well at all. I have to be very good at concealing them if I want to keep my life."

"What do you mean? What could possibly be so wrong with you that it would hinder you so much if your enemies knew?"

"I'm sorry, Uchiha-san, but that is a secret I cannot tell you. Anyways, I have decided on something that I think may help you defeat your brother."

"Oh? And what might that be?""I know that you are not patient enough to wait and train more, so I will train you while we search for Itachi. Your physical strength is incredible, and you are strong enough to defeat him as you are if you can stay focused. However, I do not believe that you will be able to retain your composure if you are faced with your brother, therefore I will mostly be training you on how to keep calm in battle, no matter what the circumstances. You must be strong mentally and physically in order to defeat and S-class criminal like your brother, so we will work a little bit on both aspects for your training. With my guidance you will also, hopefully, be able to increase the strength of your attacks as well."

I grunted and turned away from Saiyame, not at all appreciative of her offer to help train me. I had spent the last two and a half years preparing to take my revenge, and here she was treating me like a child again. I remembered her strength, though, and I couldn't deny it for very long. I needed a new mentor now, considering my old one was dead, and Saiyame was the perfect person to fill that position. "I'll think about it," I said stubbornly, lighting a small fire in the center of the cave. I didn't want Saiyame to think I was too anxious to be taught by her.

-----------------------------

"Focus!" Saiyame barked, staring me down with the same expression of disappointment that my brother had cast upon me all those years ago, when we trained together and I couldn't get a technique right. The only thing I hated more than my brother was that look on his face and those lingering words: _You're too weak,_ on the night he killed our parents.My eyes clouded over with ire and I swung my katana forward blindly, slicing a log cleanly in two.

"Kuso," I muttered. "I lost it again."Saiyame landed softly in front of me, her look a mask that gave away nothing of her thoughts.

"It's been two full weeks and you've improved slightly at best. That battle with Deidara of Akatsuki has made it clear that my assumption before was wrong. You aren't nearly as prepared to fight your brother as I first thought, especially if you can get caught up in my illusion so easily."

"Tch, you don't know my brother," I said. Of course her assumption had been wrong. I rolled my eyes at the mention of my fight with Deidara a week ago, which had nearly cost me my life. I would have died when the overly enthusiastic artist self-destructed if I hadn't thought to use the summoning technique I learned from Orochimaru at the last moment. The snake had been none too happy to find out a kid had summoned him like that, but he had died from his wounds before he had a chance to strike me. Even though I had sustained some serious wounds, they were almost fully healed now, thanks to a special ointment Saiyame had a habit of carrying around."Besides," I muttered, "I thought you didn't use genjutsu, or any other shinobi techniques."

"I don't. As I told you before, my psychic powers are on a very high level, and my telepathy can take over my enemy's mind in much the same way that genjutsu takes over a shinobi's senses. It is much harder to break my hold on your mind, though, because taking over someone's thoughts is usually more effective than taking over the senses alone. For example, that log wasn't a replacement technique, because I don't use ninjutsu either." Here Saiyame paused and smiled thinly, just as a teacher explaining a concept to a thick-headed student would. "What I did do was enter your mind and make you think that the log was me."

"But-""No excuses! If you had been able to keep your composure enough to pay the slightest bit of attention then you could have easily broken my hold on your mind. Your Sharingan is supposed to see through illusions as well as cast them, right? It works the same way when breaking my control over you. The best solution, of course, would be to avoid getting caught in the first place, but you already know all of this!"Saiyame stomped her foot once to put emphasis on her words. "Sasuke-" and I looked up as she called me by my first name- "it is not strength that you lack now, at least not completely. Perhaps you should become a bit more powerful physically, but what you really need is to control your emotions around those who you despise just as well as you control them around those who you care for."

I bit back a retort at Saiyame's implication that I cared for anyone other than myself and rubbed my temples."I know," I admitted, remembering that horrible, horrible night more clearly than I had in a long time. Even though I had defeated Deidara, I hadn't gained any information about my brother's whereabouts, and that aggravated me. Nor had I learned the necessary self-control to fight with Itachi on equal terms. "I know."

Saiyame sighed and placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "I know that you would like nothing more than to see your brother blown into oblivion, but it takes much more time to train your mind than it takes to train your body. In a situation like yours, it is imperative that you clear your mind of everything buy your ambition to win. You must not seek victory out of vengeance; you must seek it only to become stronger. You cannot afford to think of your family when you fight your brother, do you understand?"

I nodded, rolled my eyes, and said "Yes, Saiyame-_sensei_.""Good. Now, let us try this again!" Saiyame replaced her mask of cold aloofness and in the next moment I was staring at my brother. My gut clenched at the sight of Itachi; looking exactly as he had on the night he murdered our parents and the rest of the Uchiha clan. I felt a roar building up in the pit of myself but I stopped myself before acting on my wrath. If I was seeing my brother now then I must already be trapped, I thought. At the same time I made this discovery, my brother disappeared and I was standing opposite Saiyame again.

"_Now_ we're getting somewhere," she said, and then there was nothing but the sound of metal on metal echoing through the sleepy forest.

-----------------------------------

One month had passed since I had taken to training with Saiyame, and our not-so-heartfelt conversation still rang in my mind. Now, as we walked down the streets of a village still under construction, all eyes were on me and Saiyame but no one dared to venture close enough to study us further. My face was stony; a hard mask of apathy. Saiyame seemed pleasant enough with her calm smile and twinkling eyes, but the oversized straw hat that hid her ears and the long cloak used to cover her tail made her look suspicious. Although I had often adopted an appropriately unconcerned expression when traveling in public, I had never been able to retain an aura of bloodlust strong enough to actually repel anyone before I began training with Saiyame.

"Sasuke," Saiyame spoke softly. "You should eat heartily today, just in case." I nodded, now used to being called so casually, and didn't bother correcting my error with words. It was easy to forget that the demoness was blind when she moved with such a brisk, confident gait.

We stopped at one of the few finished restaurants in town, which served a variety of seafood and not much else. The waiter eyed us warily as he approached our table and settled his eyes at a place just above Saiyame's head when she ordered. I noticed that he didn't even feign politeness while I recited my order, and he shuffled away as quickly as his stubby legs could carry him without running once I finished.

"Quite a reaction, ne?" Saiyame asked, without any trace of her usual humor.

I grunted and Saiyame graced me with a nervous smile, which did nothing to still my own nerves. Today everything would end, I was certain. After years of preparing for this day--of following in my brother's footsteps--I could scarcely believe that I would be facing him for the final time in just a few hours. I closed my eyes and tried to picture myself as Itachi's equal, but that vision was still something that I could not grasp. It had taken an immeasurable amount of patience on my part, and even more on Saiyame's, but I was confident that I would find a way to defeat Itachi for good today. Saiyame and I had already planned to intercept the only other living Sharingan user when he moved to secure Naruto, who was about twenty miles behind us. Even though I knew it was unlikely that Itachi would let Kisame interfere with our battle, Saiyame would serve as an extra precaution to make sure the mist shinobi didn't get in my way. I shivered once in anticipation, but my visage betrayed nothing of my inner musings. At the smell of smoked fish and fresh greens I looked up, as did Saiyame.

Despite the waiter's less than friendly attitude earlier, the food looked promising and my mouth watered as it was assaulted by the delectable aroma. Our server was a different man from the stout person who had taken our orders, and I noticed, with some amusement, that this new guy had no reservations on getting close to me or brushing his fingers unnecessarily against Saiyame's hand when he placed her meal before her. "Will that be all for you, miss? Perhaps you would like some better company?" The waiter cocked a disgusted eyebrow at me before Saiyame had a chance to answer.

The demoness peered out from beneath her oversized hat slowly, allowing the man to see her clear blue eyes. Please say it, please say it. I willed Saiyame to say the magic words that had so often driven lechers like this from her instantaneously. "I'm blind, not stupid," Saiyame said, and even I had to smirk as the waiter faltered, bowed, and walked off.

"How was it?" she asked, once the unfortunate man was out of earshot.

"The same as usual," I replied shortly, biting into the succulent fish and calming my nerves to eat.

"Oh. Well, I see. Itadakimasu."Saiyame and I ate in silence, both on edge about the days later events. Even with Saiyame by my side, I knew there was a that I could die, because I wouldn't let her interfere, no matter what. If I couldn't get revenge for my family--no, if I couldn't defeat Itachi to become stronger--then I deserved to die. I closed my eyes as I finished the last of my meal, and laced my fingers beneath my chin. Before this fight I had to clear my thoughts, or else I would have no chance of winning. I took deep, quiet breaths and was able to clear my thoughts and enter a state of absolute serenity.

"Sasuke," Saiyame said, breaking my tranquility. "It is time."

-----------------------------------

"So," Itachi began, "you have finally come to take your revenge, have you, little brother?"

"No," I replied. "I have come to gain power, and nothing else." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Saiyame facing Kisame without much interest, and Itachi turned his head to watch the exchange as well.

"Well, you are one weird looking broad, aren't you?" Kisame asked Saiyame, looking her up and down. "Still kinda cute though, I suppose. Those things real?" Kisame nodded first to Saiyame's ears and then to her tail.

"Is what real?" Saiyame cocked her head to the side and her eyes flashed opalescent in the bright sun.

"Holy shit," Kisame swore. "The dame's blind. Just my luck, too."

"Ah." Saiyame rolled her eyes rubbed one of her ears as if to prove that it was indeed real before responding in her usual manner. "It is true that I am blind, but I am not an idiot and I eat fish like you for breakfast."

"Still," Kisame persisted, tossing his sword, Samehada, over his back. "I don't really feel right, fighting a blind freak like you."

"Then don't," Saiyame replied simply. "I have no intention of coming between those two." Saiyame now turned to me, a somber smile on her face. "Good luck, Uchiha-san."

I nodded once and then all of my attention was on my brother, who was waiting patiently for me to signal the beginning of our match. Saiyame found a relatively high branch a few yards away to sit and watch the coming battle, while Kisame settled himself on a nearby cliff ledge that overlooked the valley where Itachi and I were standing. I took another deep breath to prepare myself and hardened my stomach against the incensed flames building in it, so that I would not lose control.

I stared hard into my brother's mangeyou sharingan, letting him know in that one moment that I was serious, and that I didn't fear him anymore. "I will win," I said, before rushing forward with my katana raised offensively and my red eyes whirling.

My sword clashed with Itachi's kunai and sparks flew. I moved one hand from my weapon and swung up, hoping to catch my brother in the gut, but he dodged easily, instinctively. As he moved left I feinted right, satisfied when his muscles twitched to follow my movement. I took a chance, and my low kick, left, caught Itachi in the ribs, making him stumble back just far enough for me to jump away and replace my katana on my back. I began to circle my brother slowly, testing him, and Itachi mimicked me. As I moved, I kept my eyes boldly glued to Itachi's, daring him to use his mangekyou sharingan. He did not activate that power, though, and I dodged his sudden assault of kunai with ease.

Itachi lifted his hands next, and they flew through the necessary hand signs for the Uchiha's signature move at a speed that I was happy to match."Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu!" we yelled simultaneously, causing two immense balls of flame to burst from our mouths and explode on contact.

I used the cover of the dirt and debris to my advantage and drew my katana before I had a chance to think about what I was doing. I charged forward blindly, using only instinct to guide me, and swung my sword sideways, hoping to catch my brother right in the side. I hit air, and an intense pain in my stomach made me wince and retreat from the cloud of dust. I looked down and frowned at the kunai buried deep in my side, close to my ribs. Itachi charged through the dissipating haze and I had to narrow my eyes to read his movements correctly. I managed to block another kunai before it pierced my chest, but when I looked into my brother's eyes, the Mangekyou sharingan overwhelmed me and I felt reality slipping away to be replaced by illusion.

I screamed in spite of myself, trying to pull the last threads of reality forward before I was completely trapped in Itachi's technique. I blinked suddenly, as the fog lifted even quicker than it had come. I knew that I didn't have the luxury to observe my surroundings to see if they were indeed real, but I couldn't help letting my eyes wander just the tiniest bit. "Holy..." I trailed off, completely awed by the creature in front of me.

Before me stood a large fox so golden that its fur reflected the sun like fire. It was about six feet tall standing on all fours, and its nine tails twitched every which way as if they had a life of their own. The fox's bright blue eyes glowed luminescent and her muzzle was scrunched up in fierce growl that revealed a deadly set of fangs. The magnificent beast held such an aura of confidence and raw power that I was stunned, and the only thought I could form was that I was glad she wasn't baring her teeth at me.

The air around Saiyame rippled with the energy pouring off of her, and even Itachi was frozen by the demon's unexpected appearance.I found myself thinking back to my meeting with Kyuubi, which I had experienced through Naruto's mind, and wondered at the difference between the two kitsune youkai. Kyuubi's power was dark and terrifying, as a demon's aura should be, but Saiyame's presence was soothing and it seemed to fill me with more strength than I knew what to do with. The monster inside of Naruto made everything else seem small and insignificant, but this demon seemed to have an opposite effect on those around it. She seemed more like a god to be worshipped than a demon to be feared.

A swift movement from Saiyame snapped me out of my stupor, and I yelled the word before she had a chance to spill my brother's blood. "**Stop!**" Saiyame obeyed, pulling back immediately. She removed her jaws from the base of Itachi's neck without snapping it, and I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. I noticed that Itachi did the same, and it gave me a sort of inward satisfaction to know that Saiyame had had such an effect on him.

"Saiyame," I said, staring into the fox's blind eyes, "I told you not to interfere." Saiyame's aura flared for a moment and then she was back to herself, looking somewhat tired but otherwise completely indifferent.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke-san. I lost control of my emotions for a moment, it won't happen again."

I nodded to Saiyame, once again forgetting that she couldn't see it, and then locked eyes with my brother, giving him the silent cue that it was time to resume our duel. I wasted no time in attacking Itachi by launching an assault of shuriken and kunai at him and following up with one of my clan's famous fire techniques. "Katon: Housenka no jutsu!" I yelled, combining steel and fire.

I used the force of that attack as a cover to prepare my chidori, which didn't take more than a few seconds now that I had mastered it so well. Instead of building the electricity and chakra around my hand as I had been taught to do, I used my katana as a conductor and charged the blade as much as I could without straining the metal. I finished in time to see that my previous attack had done nothing to faze Itachi whatsoever. He hadn't even bothered to use kage bunshin or a basic substitution technique to avoid the assault, preferring instead to dodge my attempt to skewer him altogether.

I turned as Itachi disappeared and swung my katana offensively, only just missing his heart. However, when I pulled away my blade I saw that it was stained crimson, and a long tear in Itachi's cloak confirmed that I had indeed cut him. I sped forward, making a jabbing motion with my sword and managing to stab Itachi right in the center of his ribcage. I released the energy built up in my blade and succeeded in shocking my brother senseless. The electricity that I poured into him elicited a grunt of pain and a grimace on his part, and then he stumbled back, free of my katana and stemming the flow of blood with one hand.

"You have become strong, little brother," Itachi spat, splattering the ground with blood. He glared at me and then his red lips twitched upward in a mocking smile. His eyes flickered to Saiyame, who was watching the fight impassively from her high perch. "I wonder what changed you..." Itachi's eyes were plastered on Saiyame, taking in her angelic features with open admiration. I knew that my brother wasn't one to be swayed by looks alone, no matter how perfect they might be, and I figured that he must be reacting to her gentle, intoxicating aura in the same way I had when we first met.

Without waiting for him to repair his defenses, I tucked my katana back in its sheath and began making the hand signs for my chidori again. I charged too late, however, and Itachi evaded and countered my lightning blade with his own technique.

"Katon: Ryuuka no jutsu," he said, hitting me dead on with a massive flaming dragon. I winced and then roared as the heat burned me and smoke obscured my vision. I shook off the flames before they had a chance to do any real damage and was unable to avoid a solitary kunai before it ripped through my flesh and lodged itself in my chest. I gasped loudly, unable to speak, and stared at the knife in surprise. I knew better than to pull the weapon out when it was pinned so deeply in my chest, so close to my heart, so I kept my distance from Itachi and made myself go numb so that I could finish him off before he killed me. I made the familiar motions for my grand fireball technique the second time, glowering at Itachi as he followed my lead. It may have been one of my clan's most basic attacks, but it was going to end this fight once and for all.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu!" I screamed, pouring all of my chakra into the ball of fire that burst from my mouth. Itachi copied me, and the explosion of fire knocked me from my feet. I flew backwards a good thirty feet and was slammed into a tree so hard that I felt its thick trunk crack and give way. The tree fell to the side and I slumped to the ground, landing on my stomach and feeling too numb to wince as the kunai was pushed even further into my body. My vision blurred from the fire and sheer exhaustion, and I struggled to see what had become of Itachi.

"Sasuke!" I narrowed my eyes and tried to make out Saiyame's face as she kneeled beside me, lifting my hand to check my pulse. Her voice was an octave higher than normal, and I could practically taste her fear on my tongue. "Stay with me Sasuke, I'll go get help!" And then she was gone, and all was black for an impossible time.

-----------------------------

"Shut up Naruto, you'll wake him!"

"Oh come on, Sakura-chan, he's been sleeping for like three weeks already! He deserves to get a rude awakening," Naruto protested. "Besides, he looks pretty much healed to me anyway."

"God," I muttered, trying to block out the bickering of my two former teammates. "Will you shut up?" I opened my eyes and then quickly shut them again, momentarily blinded by the bright hospital lights.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura exclaimed in a hushed voice. "You're awake."

"You think?" I grumbled, opening my eyes again, slowly this time.

"Sasuke no baka!" Naruto yelled, immediately getting in my face and glaring hard at me. "You are such an idiot! Why the hell did you leave like that? And then you had to go and almost get yourself killed! What the hell were you thinking?"

I frowned at Naruto's questions, but I still had a few questions of my own burning in my mind. "What happened to Itachi," I asked, more to myself than Naruto or Sakura. "And how did you guys find me?"

"Eh? You don't know?" Naruto gasped, pointing an accusing finger at me. Sakura punched him and he fell to the ground twitching.

"Baka! Of course he wouldn't know! He was _unconscious_."

"What happened?" I repeated, this time addressing Sakura directly. I flinched away from the pain in her eyes when she looked at me and I waited for her answer.

"Well," Sakura began, wiping invisible dirt from her shirt. "We were following a lead that we had gotten on you, when a golden fox came out of nowhere and surprised us. Well, I guess that's a bit of an understatement. See, the fox wasn't like anything any of us had ever seen before. It was at least six feet tall on all fours, and it had nine tails. Also, its fur seemed to reflect the sun and it glowed just like something truly...magical."Sakura paused and stared off into space, no doubt remembering her encounter with Saiyame's true form. "It was beautiful," she breathed.

"Anyway," Sakura continued, snapping out of her reverie. "Kakashi-sensei was the first one to shake off the shock of meeting the fox, and he decided that we should follow it."

"Yeah, and it was a good thing too," Naruto interrupted, rubbing his throbbing head. "The thing led us straight to you.""

Tch, don't talk like that, Naruto." I had to smack you to get you out of that ridiculous trance you were in."

"Hey!" Naruto was quick to defend himself. "I couldn't help it. I think it had something to do with Kyuubi, actually."I rolled my eyes impatiently, annoyed at both Naruto and Sakura for stalling.

"Ok, I get it. Saiyame helped you, now what about Itachi?" Sakura recoiled at the sharp edge to my voice, and when she looked away I already knew what she was going to say.

"Itachi, well he survived too. There was a lot of blood when we arrived, but no sign of your brother. I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun."

"Leave, both of you," I said monotonously, already preparing to get lost in my thoughts. Naruto started to protest, but Sakura pushed him out of the room before he was able to complain.

I bowed my head and rubbed my temples, thinking about my fight with Itachi. I was angry, of course, but satisfied in a way. At least, I reasoned, I was able to injure him. Before there had been such a difference in our strength, but when we fought three weeks ago our abilities had been almost equal. I allowed myself to take some satisfaction in knowing that I had become stronger. Strong enough even to fight Itachi on equal terms."Next time I will not fail. I will not fail." I repeated those words quietly a few times and looked out the one window in my room as if expecting to see Saiyame there waiting for me.

I smiled just the tiniest bit, thinking about the fox demon. She had kept her promise and saved my life at the same time, I thought, recalling Sakura's words. Even in the end, Saiyame had not killed Itachi for me, nor had she stopped Kisame from taking him away to aid him. I was sure that is what had to have happened, too. There was no way Itachi would have been able to get away on his own after that last explosion, even though I hadn't been able to see his condition through the dirt and smoke. I would have to bide my time now that I was back in Konoha, because I knew there would be heavy consequences for my actions over the past few years, but when I was free I would track down my brother and I would kill him without fail.

------------------------------

Today was the four year anniversary of the day I had fought my brother, and it was also the anniversary of the last time I had seen Saiyame. I rose silently from bed and grabbed my hitai-ate, careful not to wake Sakura. I kissed her softly on the forehead and moved a strand of hair out of her eyes before exiting our house and heading for Tsunade's office. Whether she agreed to it or not, I was leaving today and there was nothing anyone could do stop me. Akatsuki had been all but wiped out a couple of years ago, but two former members had survived. I hadn't heard anything on either Kisame or Itachi since I had been dragged back from the scene of our battle, because Tsunade hadn't allowed it, but I had learned that they were still very much alive.

In the four years that I had been in Konoha I had become an official jounin, and my sentence had been very light because the village was in desperate need of strong shinobi at the time. I had been reinstated on my former team, too, and I was surprised at how forgiving everyone was. Saiyame had tried tell me time after time how they would react, but I had never been quite able to believe it until it actually happened. Somehow Sakura and I had become close, but my friendship with Naruto had never fully recovered. We were friends, in a sense, but I still resented him at times, especially when we sparred. More often than not Naruto would defeat me, and he seemed to get stronger so much faster than I did, no matter how hard I trained.

I shrugged off my musings as I reached the door to Tsunade's office and knocked once before entering. I stood in the doorway to the small room, not quite sure I was seeing right. "You!" I gasped, blinking to see if her face disappeared.

"Hello, Sasuke-san," Saiyame said, smiling politely. She looked exactly the same as the last day we had spoken and her aura instantly calmed me.

"So," Tsunade said, rolling her eyes at my dumbfounded expression. "This girl has informed me that you plan to leave today, to search for your brother. Is that true?"

"Yes," I said, straightening my shoulders and staring into the Hokage's eyes defiantly. Nothing she said could sway my resolve.

"Very well, then I will assign you this mission officially. That way you won't get in trouble and we won't have to go through another big charade when you come back."

I blinked at Tsunade and looked briefly to Saiyame. "I thought you would be more against this," I confessed, trying not to sound too flabbergasted.

"Usually, yes. But this girl has made it quite clear that you're going to leave one way or another, and I'd like to do it without having to send half the village to hunt you down again. Now, get your stuff and get going. I know you don't want the others to know yet. "Tsunade dismissed me with a wave of her hand and I waited for Saiyame to follow me before leaving. Last time I left Konoha it had been as a fugitive, but now I knew that I would have a place to return to if I survived a second encounter with my brother.

"Sasuke," Saiyame said, catching my attention immediately. "I thought you might need this," she continued, holding out a wrapped bundle for me to take.

I took the object carefully and unwrapped it curiously. Inside was my katana, which I had lost when the explosion slammed me into that damn tree all those years ago. It was safely in its sheath and polished to a high shine. Also, the blade looked sharper and somehow stronger, as if it was brand new. I was speechless for a moment, but I recovered quickly. "Thank you, Saiyame. I wondered what had become of this." I wasn't sure why, but this particular katana was significant to me. Perhaps it was because this was the blade that had cut my brother.

"You're welcome. I apologize, but I won't be able to accompany you on your journey this time. Unfortunately I have important matters to tend to elsewhere, and they cannot be delayed."I nodded out of habit, though I was slightly disappointed that she would not be joining me. I knew better than to expect so much from her, but this time I would be truly alone when I faced my brother.

"Of course. Where will you go?"

Saiyame smiled ruefully and looked up into the blue, cloudless sky. "Oh, somewhere quite far away. A friend of mine needs assistance, and I'm afraid it's something he can't handle on his own. Koji has always been one to bring trouble upon himself," Saiyame mumbled, her voice growing soft. "Besides," she continued, "you don't need my help anymore anyway."

"Yeah." I trailed off, my body burning with excitement and a rekindled fury. "I will defeat him for sure this time."

"Of course. I don't doubt it." Saiyame turned away, then, and I knew that the conversation was over. As I left the gates of Konoha to begin my journey, I paused. The village behind me was so peaceful, and I thought that I might miss the quiet, if only a little. "Goodbye," I said, turning away and disappearing into the woods. "I hope to return again soon."

Fin.


End file.
